A Real
OlympianI
can hear the sad and mellow music and the resonating sound of 2008 drums on the TV behind
me. The Parade of Nations is underway and the spectacular opening ceremonies have exploded
on everyones television, high definition or otherwise tonight in the United States.
Early this morning, people from other parts of the world were able to watch this
incredible gala, but like many other American ways, a national network had
bought the rights to the broadcast coverage, and most of us in this country
are watching this for the first time.
Fouad was transfixed this morning watching the coverage from Austria, describing the mural
like opening with large graphics and moving walls that were filled with multi media images
and backdrops as fireworks lit up the skies in the most unforgettable gala ever.
But as I sit here writing this, I think of our new Sports Mural Mile Ambassador and think
how the Creator must have engineered our meeting and ensuing appointment on this ominous
daythe opening of the 2008 Olympics. Donald Suxho touched my heart today as we
exchanged events of our lives that brought back burning memories of times in history where
we witnessed and experienced life differently than it is to us today. Donald spoke of
owning a single pair of shoes; of being cold and poor and living under Communism in the
most austere of circumstances. We spoke of Albania, Bosnia and Kosovo and to me, it was a
conversation that brought out a soulful, reminiscent and passionate, compassionate inner
being of a tall young handsome man whose heart is there on the TV behind me. Because of an
injury, his star became a falling star and prevented him from being among that Parade of
Nations, or the fierce competition of athletics that were designed to INSPIRE and MOTIVATE
young people to be in the best possible physical and spiritual state they could in order
to leave a legacy and pass that on to the next 10 generations and beyond.
So there he sat in our meeting today; lamenting and feeling and sharing his personal
disappointment. I looked into his intense eyes and at his deep smile and could feel his
wounded heart as he spoke with tinged sadness and thought about the meaning and the
purpose of our meeting on this very day. Destiny had a hand in all of this and in my heart
I sensed there was a specific reason why this accomplished athlete and rising star was
sitting here in Cafe 101 in Oceanside, California.
Throughout the afternoon and in my conversation with Fouad by phone later, I told him how
I had felt a great stirring inside. I knew that the Art Miles, though waiting for what
seems like a very long time, had found our Sports Mile Ambassador. I knew that what Donald
experienced as a small boy, and then a young man in the US, and later as a revered athlete
left a visible and invisible imprint in his heart. I could see and hear and feel that he
carries with him, and his dreams for his son, the ideals the Olympiad represents. This
strong character burns brightly in his heart in a way that can only be felt by someone who
has run a race, placed his heart and soul into winning the gold, but whose injury kept him
from the getting to that magic finish line.
But we all know, that real life does these things. Challenges are thrown in our paths and
some of us are able to pick up the torch and move forward. Others of us find a different
path that gets us to the finish line in a different way, and for some, like Donald and our
team, adventures are made along the way that might have otherwise been only blurs of
images in our life marathon. To feel, to understand, to reach out, to share, is a totally
different Olympiad. It is the Olympics that make a difference and even though the gold
medals may be few and far between, or not there at all, the gold nuggets, and silver miles
of smiles of helping others along the way, will bring out the real Olympic champion for
those like Donald. After all, the intention of the Olympics was to bring out the best in
people and bring them together. And for me, and the rest of Art Miles Team, Donald, there
sitting at home thinking about what evades him, is about to win the real Olympics gold
when he show millions of people that creating global harmony takes a Real Olympian to make
it happen. A warm welcome Donald!

Joanne Tawfilis

Donald
Suxho is the Art Miles Mural Project's Sports Mile Mural Ambassador. His role like
everyone else on our team is to travel the road that will bring us to the Art Miles Mural
Pyramid together. Donald was introduced to us through a great friend of his, Adam Rendon
who told us about this special athlete that was an established and rising star with the US
Olympic Volleyball Team but due to an injury was unable to participate. Donald was born in
Albania and is a young man of wonderful compassion and integrity and believes that all of
us should be helping those less fortunate. He learned this from his parents who taught him
how to appreciate everything because as we know, most people in the world are not so
fortunate. Donald believes in this and works to prove it and joined our project because he
thinks working with youth and sports is a great way to unite people and the sports mile
and the arts are a great fit for him. So...he joined Art Miles and within a couple of
weeks was suddenly recruited to join the Al Jazira Volleyball Team in Abu Dabai and
wouldn't you know, his first training session took him straight to Cairo? DESTINY and a
great welcome to a terrific young star who will be an inspiration to our team and people
everywhere!